A terror group collected 7 billion Naira from kidnappings, using the money to buy weapons and fuel more violence.
A single terrorist faction operating in northern Nigeria has collected over seven billion Naira from kidnap ransom payments.
A fresh security report published by research group SBM Intelligence on Thursday, August 27, 2026, shows that kidnapping for ransom has changed from small street crime into a giant, organized money making machine.
The report reveals that Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihad, popular as the JAS faction of Boko Haram, cornered about ninety percent of all recorded ransom money paid across the country’s northeast region.
The main reason why this big money collection is happening is that armed groups now use mass abductions to fund their war operations.
Instead of just robbing people on the road, terrorists attack whole villages, schools, and busy highways to capture dozens of innocent citizens at once.
When worried families scramble to pay millions to save their loved ones, the terrorists take that cash to buy heavy weapons, pay new fighters, purchase food, and buy fast motorcycles.
This creates a very bad circle where ransom money makes the terrorists stronger, and stronger terrorists cause even more kidnappings across the land.
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Even worse, paying ransom money no longer guarantees that a kidnapped family member will come home alive. The security report recorded multiple cases where victims were killed after their families paid full money, while helper messengers who went into the forest to drop off cash were also seized and locked up.
Highlighting how dangerous this money circle has become for the nation, security analysts noted that the massive cash flow represents much more than simply stolen money.
Pointing out the great danger, analysts explained that “the N7bn attributed to JAS is therefore more than criminal proceeds,” adding that “it represents potential financing for fighters, weapons, logistics and wider insurgent operations”.
Additional reports show that over seven thousand people were kidnapped across Nigeria within a 12 month period. Security experts urge government leaders to stop chasing small roadside boys and focus on tracking the bank accounts, phone networks, and big bosses who move the cash behind the scenes.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
